


Found Objects

by onibugistan



Category: NaMon - Fandom
Genre: Childhood Friends, Developing Friendships, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, romcom, slight angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:42:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26853148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onibugistan/pseuds/onibugistan
Summary: Chimon and Nanon were best friends and neighbors, growing up together in the suburbs of Manila, until the day Nanon chooses to leave for Madrid without saying goodbye. They've since fallen out of touch, and life has gone on.Now a sophomore student at Regis University, Chimon has volunteered to be a Found Property Custodian of the Student Council, handling lost items in the school. An unlikely visit and a lost wooden box will bring Chimon crossing paths with the specter of his past. Will he find what he is looking for?
Relationships: Nanon Korapat Kirdpan/Chimon Wachirawit Ruangwiwat
Kudos: 12





	1. Prologue: New Year's Day

**Author's Note:**

> Shoutout to @offgunized for being my beta for this fic. Shoutout as well to my CYEAKM squad buddies @offgunized, @Gun_Mola, @nickeynaus and @MistinguetteMe. And a special dedication to @darlingjongin, whose works inspired me to start writing fics as well. This is my first fic! Suggestions and comments will help a lot especially as I make final edits along the way. Enjoy!
> 
> PS: For some cool tunes as you read the fic, here's a link to a playlist I made inspired by this story https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7kScLIgzqHno74dwMX9IC3?si=VHCjM86sSy6taqNBcfB1jQ

**December 2012.**

The night sky was covered with fireworks—flashes of greens, reds and blues all across the horizon. The two of them were seated on the front lawn of Nanon’s house. It wasn’t even midnight yet, but the air was electric with anticipation.

“So, we survived junior high. Can you believe it?”

“Don’t jinx it, Non. We still have three more months to finish.” Chimon corrected.

“Then we’re off to senior high! Together, of course,” Nanon added.

“You never know. My crazy pa’ might ship me off to some far off school to learn about art and stuff.”

“Tito Off wouldn’t do that. He knows he can’t separate us. I’ll probably follow you wherever that school might be.”

“Even if it’s in Antartica?”

“I’ll pack some winterwear.”

“Idiot.” Chimon replies fondly, giving a soft punch to Nanon’s arm.

“Hey, they say you should make a wish before the New Year dawns. What’s your wish for the new year, Non?”

“Hmm, a wish eh?” Nanon says as he rests his chin on his knees. “I want good grades for my senior high debut. I wanna join a band. I wanna win the lottery and fund the building of that museum you’ve always wanted. We’ll build it here right next to our houses.”

“You’ll probably have to demolish Mrs. Santos’s bungalow if that’s the case.”

“She’ll understand.”

The two boys laugh. Nanon then lays down on the grass. Chimon follows suit.

“I wish things will always be like this forever.”

“Like what? Vacation?”

“No.” Chimon shakes his head, before moving his index finger back and forth between them. “This. Us. Friendship and fun. And freedom.”

“That’s a lot of words starting with the letter F.”

“F you, Non.”

“That’s not the language fitting of a future curator. You have to be more sophisticated than that.”

“How about ‘F you, monsieur’? Sophisticated enough?”

“You can’t just add French to something and call it sophisticated!”

“But I’m serious. Junior high wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. But it was bearable—enjoyable even—because you were there.”

“You’re making me blush, Chi! Don’t go saying things you don’t mean. I’m sure you would have been fine even without me.”

Chimon looks at his watch. He informs the boy beside him, “Last minute til’ the end of the year. Any last thoughts?”

“2012 was great, but 2013 is gonna be better!”

“We say that every year!”

“And every year it’s true!”

The clock strikes twelve, and it’s like release. The whole neighborhood explodes in celebration, each household coming up with ways to contribute to the communal merrymaking.

As per tradition, Nanon and Chimon stand up from their positions on the lawn and proceed to jump up and down. Apparently, this is so they’d both grow taller.

“You’re already six feet tall. Give me a fighting chance, Non.”

“But you’re 5’9. You’ll catch up soon enough!”

“HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!” They hear the screams of Nanon’s little sister Nonnie from inside their home. “HAPPY FREAKIN’ NEW YEAR!”

Nanon’s dad peeks out of the front windows of Nanon’s house. “Nanon! Chi! Happy new year!”

“Happy New Year po, Tito.” Chi greets politely.

“Dad! Happy New Year! I love you!”

“Hey, Nanon, come over here! I have something I wanna show you, come quick!” Nanon’s dad had called him over from inside.

“Chi, I’m just going to go in real quick…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be going ahead as well. I can already see pa’ and dad jumping up and down in the driveway, so I think I gotta head out before one of them breaks a back or something.”

The two boys stand up, but before Chimon leaves, Nanon suddenly hugs him from behind. “Whatever happens from here on out, you’ll always have me. Okay, Chi?”

Nanon then quickly runs to his house’s gate. He turns to Chi and waves goodbye, a bright smile on his face, before disappearing into the house. Chimon can’t help but smile back. From a distance, he can hear the familiar laughter of Nanon, who seems to be wrapped up in the celebratory atmosphere befitting of the new year.

They say you should make a wish at the cusp of the New Year’s dawning. Chimon’s wish was simple: _please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere_.


	2. Chapter 1: I Forgot That You Existed

**September 2017.**

It's days like this that make Chimon regret being a Found Property Custodian. Manning the Student Council’s Lost and Found Helpdesk is his least favorite part of his job. Usually he brings one of his graphic novels, or his tablet, but today he was running late for Modern Art class, and he didn’t want to get scolded again by Doc Tay for three sessions in a row. That being said, he forgot all of his usual time wasters at home.

The Found Property Office is a small area in the Student Council building comprised of the helpdesk itself with a much bigger storage area for safekeeping and organizing the lost and found items surrendered by students, faculty and campus staff. In front of the helpdesk is a small reception area with coffee table and a sofa, currently occupied by Chimon’s partner custodian, Ohm.

“Hey Chimon, it’s disposal day for the month. Make sure to help me with clearing out items that have been in storage for more than six months.” Ohm comments while browsing the internet on his cellphone.

“Yeah, yeah.” Chimon weakly replies.

“And will it be alright if you take the afternoon shift on Friday? I have a date.”

“Wow, still on the dating train, I see. After two years since your supposed college debut, you still haven’t gotten into a relationship.”

“Hey, hey, hey! Don’t jinx it. I know I have a history of bad luck when it comes to dating. Not like you’re doing any better.”

“Unlike you, I actually chose to be single. I have so much on my plate right now. Our junior year is jam-packed with major subjects. And we have full-time custodian duties here in the help desk. Not to mention student council meetings. Soon enough, we’ll also need to start planning for our thesis beginning next semester.”

Ohm scratches his head, “So is that a yes on the Friday shift?”

“How about you treat me to Jamba Juice next week, and we’ll call it even?”

“Deal!” Ohm says as he jumps up from the sofa and gives Chimon a big hug from in front of the helpdesk counter. “You’re the best!”

“I know I am.”

“Okay, gotta rush! Need to go to my last class for the day.” Ohm was just about to rush out the door when he stops and points a finger at Chimon. “Oh, and Chi, please don’t take home any of the items, as you always seem to do. Make sure today’s disposal batch are immediately turned over to the maintenance staff. They’ll be the ones to manage what can be salvaged and spared.”

⨓

Of course, Chimon wasn’t one to follow protocol when it comes to these treasures for disposal. It’s a waste to just let all of it go. Besides, if someone hasn’t claimed these, they might as well go get used in some alternative way, right?

He pushes on the cart full of assets for disposal and brings them to the maintenance barracks, while also pulling along a crimson polycarbonate luggage, like the ones tourists use on their trips. Upon arriving at the maintenance barracks, Chimon peruses the chalkboard of maintenance schedules, discovering that only Mang Joel is left in the barracks to receive these items.

“Mang Joel! Are you in there?” Chimon asks as he enters the barracks.

“Hey, kid. I’m over here out back. You can leave the cart by the door.”

“Oh, Mang Joel. It’s like you don’t know me at all. I can’t just leave without checking out the haul. I have to see if there are things that can be saved from this pile of items.”

Mang Joel peeks his head from the workstation inside the barracks— “Kid, you’re going to get in trouble again if you take any of that home. You’re lucky the other staff aren’t here.”

“It’s not stealing, and there are actually no clear rules about taking items that are for disposal already. Nothing illegal here! None of these items are ever going to get back to their owners. Might as well offer them a new lease on life. My dad works on assemblage art, for instance, and I’ve been supplying him a steady stream of junk to use,” Chimon explained. “And if I had to be honest, this is my way of saving the environment, Mang Joel.”

“Well, if you ask me, all of it is junk. Let it be junk. The school allows the maintenance crew to scrap some of the items as well for selling to junk shops. If you keep on taking all of them home, we’ll have nothing to scrap.”

“It’s not like I take all of it. When have I ever taken more than a handful of these things?”

“Your bright red luggage begs to differ.”

“Well, Christine here does love being filled with junk to bring home.”

“You named your luggage Christine?”

“Don’t mock her. She’s sensitive. Anyway, time to fill ‘er up!”

“Well, if you’re already doing this, might as well help you. I’ll make sure you don’t take all of this batch for yourself.”

Mang Joel and Chimon rummage through the cart of items and begin sorting them into those for disposal and those for Chimon’s personal use. 

“You know, I have a pretty good memory,” Chimon explains as he jams a couple of extension cords and cables into Christine, “I can vaguely recall receiving and logging a bunch of these items. I’m guessing the unfamiliar ones were from when I wasn’t on shift.”

“You probably had an eye on a bunch of these from the moment you first saw them.”

“But I don’t take them on the spot. That would be unethical! I make sure that they’ve been thoroughly abandoned before I even begin to think of bringing them home. That’s why I wait for disposal day.”

“So, what about this little thing?” Mang Joel says as he brings out a strange wooden box with a distinctive repeating pattern etched into it. “You wanna keep it? Certainly not something that can be scrapped.”

“Doesn’t look familiar, but it definitely looks interesting! What’s inside?”

“I dunno. There doesn’t seem to be an opening.” Mang Joel explains as he tries to pry the box open by force.

“Stop! You might destroy it!” Chimon says as he snatches the box from Mang Joel’s hands. “I’ll take it home and fiddle with it then.”

“Come on, there’s a bunch more here. Let’s finish up before the rest of the crew arrives.”

⨓

All he sees are fireworks, and all he feels are these arms embracing him tightly. He hears a whisper—Whatever happens from here on out, you’ll always have me. Okay, Chi?

He wakes up, and tears are forming in his eyes. Slowly the image of the dream he’s had begins slipping through the crevices of his mind, until all has been but lost.

He slowly gets up from his bed, rubbing his eyes gently. He approaches his corner shelf lined with all sorts of knickknacks gathered across the past years of being a found custodian. He hasn’t even really take anything of value really. On the contrast, he likes plucking out unusual trinkets and giving them a brand-new start. It’s a strange fascination.

Chimon looks at his watch to see that it’s already almost noon. He heads out his room and down the stairs, blearily making his way into the dining area next to the kitchen. A head peeks out from the kitchen.

“Good morning, Chi. You woke up late today.” The man from the kitchen comments, holding a cooling rack lined with cookies.

“Just had some work done for Modern Art class yesterday. I’m doing research for this essay that’s coming up soon.” Chimon approaches the man and gives him a light peck on the cheek. “Good morning, dad. Baking this early?”

“Well, I had a bit of free time today. I don’t have classes to teach on Tuesdays, so I decided to bake a batch of cookies for your Tita Ning.”

“Where’s pa’?”

“Papii is still in his workshop, dear,” Gun replied. “I’m sure he’ll come in after he’s done finishing up his latest project.”

Gun takes a small saucer, and places on of the cookies on it, before passing it on to Chimon. “Try this and see if it’s just as good as before,”

“Dad, you know I love your desserts. I won’t be able to give you an unbiased answer.”

“Just check it if it’s the right consistency and flavor. I want them to be perfect for your Tita.”

Chimon grabs one cookie and takes a bite. It’s triple chocolate, and it tastes as good as he remembers. Chocolate base with chocolate chunks and chocolate chips—a killer combination.

“Dad, it’s so good. It reminds me of the cookies you used to be bake when I was a kid.”

“That’s because it’s the same recipe—it’s a Gun Acosta speciality. I haven’t gotten to baking recently because of my sudden workload at the department. There’s a big research conference that Regis University is sponsoring, but at least most of the logistical prep is done already.”

The kitchen’s side door opens, and a man in painter overalls enters.

“Hey kiddo! Good morning!”

Chimon approaches his pa’ and kisses him on the cheek—“Good morning. Busy as always?”

“I’m putting the final touches on the last few pieces for the exhibit.”

“Pa’! Don’t hole yourself in the workshop for too long! You’re not getting any younger. You should take occassional breaks, okay!”

“Hey, I’m still pretty sprightly for my age. You treat me like a senior citizen.”

“In a few years, you will be.”

“You wound me, kid! Why must you speak of the inevitable. I still have more than a good decade left in me. Though I am excited to spend Mondays in the movie house for free with your dad when the time comes.”

“Oh, since you’re here, Papii, try some of the cookies I baked.” Gun says as he brings one of the cookies to Off’s mouth.

“Oh these are amazing, dear. I love it,” Off says as he proceeds to give Gun a peck on the cheek, “almost as much as I love you.”

“Eww, stop it, parentals. Not in front of my salad.”

“Is that a thing young people say now? I should use that.”

“No! Don’t use it! It’s just a meme. And for the love of God, don’t google it!”

“Anyway, have you gotten me some new materials to work with? I know yesterday was disposal day”

“Yeah. Christine’s jam-packed. I left her by the front door. Take anything you need.”

“Then I guess it’s time to scavenge for inspiration!”—Off moves out of the kitchen toward the living room adjacent to the dining area—“I’ll get whatever, okay, kiddo?”

“Sure pa'. Take whatever you want.”

“Chi, I’m taking these cookies to Tita Ning’s place in a bit. Wanna join me? Your Tita hasn’t seen you in so long.”

Chimon gives his dad a somber smile—“Sorry, dad. I still have that essay to finish, so you go ahead.”

There’s a sad, knowing look on Gun’s face as Chimon goes back up to his room.

⨓

It’s Friday. Chimon finds himself manning the helpdesk. It’s almost the end of his shift (technically Ohm’s shift, but a deal’s a deal). His eyes are closed, and he has his earphones on as he listens to the music on his tablet. His cap is placed over his face to ensure maximum zoning out potential.

He doesn’t notice that someone had just stepped into the office.

“Hey. Hey. Can you help me?”

Chimon continues to zone out, oblivious to the guy trying to get his attention.

The guy starts poking him in his arm. “Hey, sorry, but are you the Found Property Custodian? I was told this is where I can ask about lost items.”

Chimon feels a bit irritated that someone bothered to visit this late. He removes his earphones first, before groaning loudly. “Ugh, and here I thought I would be able to go home early.”

Before Chimon can continue, he hears the voice of the person at the other side of his desk.

“Hi, sorry for coming in so late. I just wanted to report a lost item. Do I need to fill any paperwork or something?”

He knows that voice. It’s been a few years, but he’s pretty sure he knows that voice.

He looks up and sees a spectre of something he’s hidden away from a long time ago. He looks at the boy on the other side of the counter, his mouth slightly agape.

The other boy looks at him, and he can’t quite make out the look that was on the guy’s face at that very moment.

“Chimon? Is that you?” the boy says, a smile beginning to form on his face.

“Nanon,” he says, almost as if only to himself—a name he has not said in quite a while.

It’s days like this that make Chimon regret being a Found Property Custodian.


	3. Chapter 2: Where Do Broken Hearts Go

**March 2013.**

“Dad, why do the people we love leave?” Chimon asked in between whimpers. He had been crying all evening.

Gun replies as he caresses Chimon’s hair, the latter’s head laying down on his lap, “Well, I’m not entirely sure myself. Some leave because it’s just how life goes. Nanon’s dad, your Tito Kaloy, was a wonderful person. But life happens, death happens, and we’re faced with the heavy burden of filling in the spaces left behind by loss.”

“Does leaving stop the pain? Was that the reason why Nanon left for Madrid?”

“I don’t think the pain ever stops. But I think it becomes bearable. Maybe Nanon is out there looking for a way to make it bearable.”

“But why couldn’t he find it here? With us? With me?”

The sniffles don’t stop, but at some point Chimon falls asleep.

⨓ 

**September 2017.**

Chimon looks like he’d just seen a ghost. The boy on the other side only musters up a shy smile, casually filling up the lost and found form on top of the helpdesk counter.

“When? How?”

“What do you mean?” Nanon replied, putting the finishing touches to the form in his hands.

“You’re here, and not in Madrid” Chimon said with a confused expression on his face.

“I’ve been here for a while now actually. A couple of months maybe. I flew back and transferred to Regis. I was supposed to right after senior high, but I tried my luck staying in University there. But I missed the Philippines, and I missed my mom and Nonnie. So came back.”

“I see.”

“Yup.”

There was an awkward silence between them before Chimon began speaking again. “So, welcome back I guess.”

“Thanks. It’s good to be back,” Nanon replied. “Anyway, I’m actually here to report a lost item. I lost it somewhere on campus Monday this week. It’s a wooden box. It has these geometric patterns on it, similar to stars or triangles. But it’s actually a pattern derived from hemp leaves.”—Nanon brings out his phone and shows a picture of a kimono—“This is called _asanoha_ in Japanese. It’s a kind of pattern that’s found in all kinds of items, like fabrics and furniture.”

“A wooden box with that pattern? Wait, I think I remember seeing something like that in the storage. You can come with me to check.”

Chimon stands up from his seat behind the helpdesk and directs Nanon to the storage. It’s an entire room adjacent to the helpdesk proper, lined with rows and rows of wooden shelves and cabinets where all sorts of lost items are safely housed until they’re either claimed or disposed. Disposal day happens once every other month, as there’s just no way of housing all the lost items for an extended period of time. Of course, “first in, first out” is followed. There’s a logbook immediately in the entryway, which Chimon quickly scans as they went in. Afterwards, they continue forward into the room itself.

“So, why did you lose the box in the first place if it’s so important?” Chimon asks while they walk through the space between the first row of storage shelving.

Nanon looks around the room. It looks small, but he can already tell there’s a lot of stuff lying around in this storage room. He replies, “There’s this class exercise for philosophy that we were supposed to do. Bring something very valuable to you and you share the experiences behind that item in class. And then we debate the nature of the value we ascribed to the thing. I brought the box, but somehow managed to misplace it during the day I brought it.”

“You said you lost it Monday? Why didn’t you come here sooner if it was so valuable?”

“I was planning to head to the lost and found earlier, but I figured I’d look for it on my own first.”

“And you didn’t find what you lost, so you come rushing here to me, am I right?”

Nanon stopped on his tracks. Chimon noticed this, and turned around to check on the other boy.

“What’s wrong?”

“Hey Chi…”

Before Nanon could even continue, Chimon interrupts, “It’s Chimon. Only my friends call me Chi.”

“Chimon. Can I say something to you since we’re here? I was planning to talk to you, but with all the hustle and bustle of moving back home, I figured I’d get in touch when I was done sorting things out.”

“And did you get it done? Sorting out yourself?” Chimon asked sharply.

“What do you mean?”

“Making things right with you. Finding yourself. Putting things back together. The whole shebang. Did you get to do that in Madrid?”

“Chi…”

Chimon bowed his head, his eyes firmly on the ground. “If you really wanted to talk, you had an entire four years to do so. I don’t think we have anything left to talk about.”

“But…”

“I don’t think the item you’re looking for is in storage anymore. And according to the logs, no one returned a wooden box last Monday.”

Chimon stopped in his tracks. Something came to mind. A wooden box last Monday?

Chimon started whispering to himself. “But I swear I can remember an item like that in storage last disposal day. Oh shit, did I bring that item home?”

Nanon catches the last few words Chimon was saying to himself. “Disposal? Home? Do you get to keep the lost and found items when no one claims them? Isn’t that against the rules?”

Nanon looks at Chimon with a raised brow, and Chimon just smiles at him, feigning ignorance. He then grabs Nanon’s arm and whisks him away from the storage room and back into helpdesk proper.

“Anyway, I’ll try to go through the storage again another day. But for now, I’ll be closing shop.” Chimon announces as he pulls Nanon toward the door of the helpdesk office, “So feel free to come back again tomorrow, preferably when I’m not the one manning the desk. I’m sure our other Found Property custodians will be happy to assist you.” 

“Hey, you didn’t answer my question!” Nanon shouts as he was being shoved out of the door by the other boy.

“Neither did you, all these years. But I ain’t complaining. Now, shoo. The helpdesk is officially closed. You can try your luck again tomorrow.”  
And Chimon slams the door on Nanon’s face, then sits on the floor behind the room door, in an attempt to hide from the boy outside. Nanon peers through the glass of the office’s window wall, but doesn’t see anyone inside the office. He sighs in frustration before walking away.

Chimon is left alone, sitting on the floor of the helpdesk office, right behind the door. He clutches his knees. He’s not sure what he’s feeling. Shock? Resentment? Discontent? 

“God, I thought I was over this already. Well, apparently not.” And he buries his face in his knees.

⨓ 

The next day goes by like a blur, and now it’s almost the end of Chimon’s shift at the helpdesk. He’s still a bit bothered by the unexpected meeting yesterday with someone he’d thought he’d never see again, for better or worse. As he was about to leave the office, he turned to Ohm, who was getting ready to for the next shift.

“Hey Ohm, do you remember if someone returned a wooden box last Monday. I can’t find any reports on it on our logs and in our files.”

“I don’t remember anyone returning a wooden box of any sort that day. I manned the helpdesk in the morning. I do however remember another batch of lost hydroflasks surrendered by the maintenance crew.”

“What is it with Regis students and their penchant for losing hydroflasks?”

“Rich kids,” Ohm scoffed.

“You’re one to talk. Your family is loaded,” Chimon retorted.

“Yours is too. Your father is the renowned Onofre Montes.”

Chimon shrugs slightly—“Eh, we get by. My pa doesn’t always sell a big piece, and commissions are tough to come by in this economy. At least my other dad has a tenured position here in Regis.”

“Oh, Doc Acosta was my prof in Philo 101 last year. I almost failed.”

Chimon chuckles a bit—“Yeah, I heard. Dad always nagged me to get you to study for his exams, knowing we were friends.”

“Your dad’s a genius. And super strict. His standards are above and beyond.”

“Just imagine having to live with him!” Chimon replied, chuckling. “I used to get into so much trouble with my best friend back when I was still a kid. My dad would always scold us.”

“Oh a childhood best friend? Why haven’t I heard about this? You love telling stories about yourself growing up, especially all the hijinks you end up having with your dads.” 

“I guess there was just no chance to bring him up.” Chimon mustered a weak reply. “Anyway, that was a long time ago. It’s not important now.”

“I wonder what that’s like. I come from a big family, so basically my siblings are my best friends. Well, until I met you. Now you’re my best friend,” Ohm says as he swings an arm around Chimon’s shoulders and gives him a bit of a side hug. 

“That’s so sweet of you, Ohm!”—Chimon flashes a mischievous grin—“But, no amount of bootlicking will get you out of your Friday afternoon shift!”

“But Chimon, you’re my best friend. Help a guy on the dating circuit, will you? I need my Friday’s off! Please!”

“Bye!” Chimon shouted as he bid farewell to his friend and the Found Property helpdesk.

A few minutes after Chimon left, Ohm was all alone.

“Boredom. Boredom. Boredom.” Ohm mutters to himself. “I don’t think anyone’s even coming in today.”

The chimes of the room’s door ring as a boy enters the room. “Hi, I’m looking for Chimon.”

“Oh you just missed him. He’s done for the day. But, lucky for you, Ohm Pascual is on the case. Happy to serve!”

“No. I’m actually looking for Chimon specifically. He said he would help me to look for the lost box that I had.”

“Oh that box. He was asking me about it a while ago too.”

“I guess I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“Hey, maybe you can contact him. I’ll give you his number.”

⨓ 

_Unknown Number (+63919XXX1234)_  
Hey, just letting you know that I’m coming over. 


	4. Chapter 3: Getaway Car

**January 2013.**

The doorbell rang exactly four times, one after the other in rapid succession. It’s obviously Nanon. Chimon taught him this code with the doorbell when they were kids. It was a supposed to be a secret messaging system between them, though by now everyone in the house pretty much knows who’s ringing the doorbell.

“So, I hear you got your student license,” Nanon remarks with a smug look on his face.

“Where did you hear that from?” Chimon asked as he opened the gate for Nanon.

“My mom mentioned it to my dad. I mean, we’re both in the same grade, and our birthdays are practically next to each other’s, but I can’t believe you were born a year earlier than me. And now you get to drive a year earlier than me too.”

“Not my fault I was born in January and you were born in December,” Chimon teased the other boy.

“So wanna do some practice night driving around the village?”

“I’m not too confident with my skills just yet, and both pa and dad are busy to supervise.”

“Please.”—and Nanon begins pouting in the way he always does that almost always never works. Almost. This was not one of those moments.

“Fine. I’ll ask permission to use the X-Trail.”

“Sweet!”

⨓

**September 2017.**

The doorbell rang exactly four times, one after the other in rapid succession. Chimon recognized it from where he was seated in the living room, playing Final Fantasy XV on his PS4. No one else in their right mind would even dare ring a door bell in such an annoying fashion. It was a familiar code, and he did not like what was coming next. It’s not like he wasn’t expecting it. He had received a text from an unknown number informing him about this visit. God knows where Nanon got his new number, since he’s changed phones since getting into college. His old phone is still lying around upstairs, batteries dead, but the sim card still works. Probably.

He saves his game, turns the PS4 off, and lay down his controller on the coffee table before proceeding to open the front door. True enough, there was Nanon, peering through the slim, wrought-iron slats of their driveway’s gate.

“It’s just like I remember. Pretty much everything’s the same.” Nanon commented as he observed the front lawn and driveway. “Even the white X-Trail is still around.”

“Not everything’s the same.” Chimon remarked from the front door, loud enough for Nanon to hear. “What are you even doing here Nanon?”

“I’m here to help you look for my wooden box. You mentioned how you brought some of the lost and found items home, so maybe it’s in there somewhere.”

“You can’t just show up unannounced and ransack someone else’s home.”

“Well, tough luck. Cos’ you can’t just show up to school and ransack the found property storage, either. So we’ll call it even,” Nanon retorted, with a playful grin on his face.  
Chimon places his hands over his face in frustration before replying, “Ugh fine. And please, can you not bring this up to the School Council. Only Ohm and the maintenance crew know that I bring home some of the found items. And might I remind you once more that those items were going to be thrown out anyway.”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it. Now, let me in,” Nanon then continues by singing, “Tell the guards to open up the gates! The gates!”

Chimon approached the gate to let Nanon in.

As they walk toward the front door, Chimon casually remarks, “I can’t believe you watched Frozen.”

Nanon smiled, replying, “So did you, considering you recognize the lyrics.”

“You know my dads are suckers for anything Disney. We even watched it in the movie house back in 2013, the week before the Metro Manila Film Festival started that year. My dads just had to make sure they caught it before the movies started changing by Christmas.”

“Oh, so you watched it during my birthday!” exclaimed Nanon.

December usually meant celebrations back in the day. As a kid, it was the time of the year that meant everything in the world for Chimon. It was Christmas time, and his dad would set up the Christmas Tree, and his pa would put up the decorations all over the house. It also meant a lot of parties, at school, in the neighborhood. It also meant someone’s birthday was right around the corner.

“It was the first time we didn’t celebrate your birthday together.”

Nanon stopped, and Chimon turned to look at him. For a split second, there was a rather distant look on Nanon’s face, and then it was all smiles from him again. “Hey, Chi, can I ask you something?”

Before Nanon could continue, there was a greeting from the dining area adjacent to the living room. “I didn’t know we’d be having a visitor today.”

“Oh dad, Nanon came by.”

“I can see that,” Gun replied. He had a strange knowing look on his face.

“Good afternoon po, Doc Gun.”

“We’re not in the classroom, Nanon. You don’t have to be so formal. Just call me Tito Gun when we’re outside. It’s how you’ve always called me anyway before.”

“Oh, okay po.”

“Did your mom enjoy the cookies I sent last week.”

“Not just her. Nonnie loved it. I did too. It was a bite of nostalgia.”

“Well, I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything,” Gun replied, as he began heading for the kitchen area. “I’ll probably have some time to bake a quick snack for all of us. You can stay in Chimon’s room for the time being. I think you both have a lot of catching up to do.”

⨓

“Your room is the same, too. Though there seems to slightly more junk lining your corner shelves compared to before. This must be your hoard from your found property pillaging.”

“Not all of them. Most of those really go to pa’s workshop. I keep some of the more interesting items for myself. Little trinkets here and there. They spice up the room right. It’s like my own museum of odds and ends.”  
Chimon takes some of items from his corner shelf and shows them to Nanon: some old watches, keychains, little Snoopy figurines, and lighters of all shapes and sizes.

“Do you still want to run a museum, Chimon?” Nanon asked suddenly.

“Of course. That’s been my dream since we were kids.” Chimon says with an indulgent twinkle in his eyes. “I’d want to travel the world, acquiring pieces, arranging exhibits. And I’ll house a permanent collection somewhere here in Manila. I’ll make sure to have a place for local artists. Of course, my pa’ gets to have his own dedicated hall. It will be amazing.”

“Some dreams never die, I guess?” Nanon said, chuckling with fondness.

“Well, some dreams die too. But, that’s life.” Chimon replied, a sad smile etched on his face.

Nanon continued to peruse the shelves—“You’re like a real life Little Mermaid.” Nanon then proceeds to sing, “ _Look at this stuff, isn’t it neat. Wouldn’t you think my collection’s complete?_ ”

“I hate to admit it, but after all these years you still sing really well.”

“I used to be in a band in Madrid. But I didn’t sing often though. I wasn’t confident enough in my Spanish, so I played the guitar most of the time. I did sing some of the English songs when we did get requests.” 

“Wow. That means one of your New Year wishes came true. You got in a band!”

“It was with a bunch of other Filipinos studying there as well. Some of them were much older than me, and they sort of became my parents while I was in Spain.”

“Remember when we would watch Little Mermaid when you stayed over here at my house?” 

“For some reason, your dads love making us watch that movie.”

A loud screaming could be heard from outside the door. “Chi! Chi!”

“Speaking of my dads, there’s one of em’ coming up right now in three, two and…”

Suddenly, the door swings open, and Off barges into the room, overalls covered in paint, brushes in hand.

“Chi! I’ve done it. After a couple days of recalibrating, I’ve finally finished the collection that I’m sending out on exhibit at Regis Museum.”

“That’s great dad!”

“Oh, I didn’t know you had a visitor”—Off squints slightly at Nanon—“Well, by God, if it isn’t a sight for sore eyes.”

Off begins to approach Nanon and gives him a big hug.

“Tito Off, it’s been too long.” Nanon says, smiling, as he returns the hug as well.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I think I got paint all over you!” Off remarks, laughing boisterously. “I heard from both Gun and Ning that you’re back, but we haven’t been able to see each other in the flesh. The fourfold doorbell ring I heard a while ago should have been a dead giveaway though.” Off then gestures at Chimon and Nanon, as if taking a photograph with his fingers. “Look at that. Just like old times.”

Nanon scratches at his neck shyly, “Kind of, right? Definitely a bit of a nostalgia bomb being back here.”

“Anyway, if you wanna take a look at the collection, it’s in the workshop. I’m going to call Regis Museum right now to tell them I’m ready to get it exhibited soon. They’re planning a charity auction on opening night, so I have to make sure these are transferred as soon as possible.”

Off brings out his phone from one of the pockets of his overalls, and begins dialing as he heads out the door, leaving two boys by themselves.

Chimon stands up and signals to Nanon to keep checking the shelves for the box. As Nanon browses through the remainder of the corner shelves, Chimon looks in his drawers and cabinets, double-checking if he placed anything there.

As he was rummaging, Chimon asks casually, “So, you never did tell me what’s the big deal about this box anyway?”

“You remember back in 2012, my dad just came home from a business trip to Japan? This box was the last gift I received from him,” replies Nanon. “I actually got it during the last New Year we all spent together. If you try to open it, you probably wouldn’t be able to. It’s what you call a _himitsu-bako_. It’s a Japanese puzzle box, and you can place various things in it. There’s a specific way of opening that box, and it can’t be done with force. I pretty much spent the rest of New Year’s Day trying to open up the box but failing. My dad eventually showed me the solution, and I made sure to memorize it. Since then, I’ve kept that box close to me all the time. It’s a reminder of my dad and special moments we shared before he passed away.”

Chimon notices Nanon’s expression turn somber for a moment. With that, he approached Nanon and placed his hand on the other boy’s shoulder. “If that’s the case, then we’re going to find that box by hook or by crook.”

“Thanks, Chimon.”

“Anyway, it seems like it’s not in my room. Maybe we’ll have more luck looking in pa’s workshop.”

⨓

Off’s workshop is one giant, beautiful mess, situated right outside the main structure of Chimon’s house. It’s spacious enough to house a dozen of Off’s finished exhibit pieces, as well as all of his supplies and materials. There are shelves lined with paint tubes and cans. There are also jars of various sorts of powders and resins, as well as paintbrushes of all shapes and sizes, both used and unused. The floor was littered with what could only be described as remnants of assemblage and dis-assemblage. When asked, Off would probably call it the artistic process in full display. Chimon begged to differ on most occasions.

“Oh, so you both finally gave in to your urge of seeing the masterpiece. Well look no further!” Off greets them as they continue through the workshop.

“Wow, these pieces are great. Both the large-scale and small-scale ones. This is an excellent repurposing of those olds cabinets you thrifted last month. I love the way you made everything the same color. I can see the influence of Louise Nevelson.”

“I knew you’d say that.” Off replies with pride.

“Very clean and polished look to the pieces. The bigger pieces might fetch a bigger price at the auction.” Chimon remarks as he observes one of the larger works.

“And finally, the pièce de résistance! It’s a bit smaller than the others, but I found the perfect materials recently to make it all work with the collection. I tried to pattern it after 1/8 car models, but used a lot of found objects and junk to fashion the parts. I call it _Getaway Car_. What do you think?”

The piece was around two rulers wide. It’s made to look like a hollowed out cross section of a 1930’s sedan, which Off explains is patterned after the same car used by Bonnie and Clyde in their heists.

And right in the center was a wooden box with a distinct _asanoha_ pattern.


	5. Chapter 4: Never Grow Up

**September 2017.**

“Art is art, until it’s not, or until our conceptions of it are challenged, and we have to reorient ourselves to the role that it plays in our lives.”

The man in front of the class delivered these words with utmost confidence and refinement, probably a product of years of being a teacher. He moves about in the room with the easy gait of someone who’s used to giving lectures like these, but he had a very warm and reassuring smile while talking in front of the standing crowd of students surrounding him.

Chimon had always been fascinated with Doc Tay. He wishes he’d be able to deliver the same kind of charismatic art talk when he hopefully runs his own museum. He made sure to scratch as many notes as he can on his steno pad.

“As future art professionals, part of what you will do, either as creators, critics or curators, will be to carve a path for the role of art within society today. Of course, we turn to those who come before us for inspiration in forging that path.”

The room had been prepared in advance with easels holding blown up photographs of famous works of art. Doc Tay points to one of the prepared easels, this one with a picture of _Still Life with Chair Caning_.

“Let’s first take a look at Pablo Picasso, particularly in 1908 all the way to 1912. It was at this time when Picasso would pioneer cubism. Part of the experimentation that Picasso did at this time was the use of detritus and other materials considered as waste and incorporated it into his cubist collages. From newspapers to matchboxes, shredded paper to fabric, what seemed material uncharacteristic to the world of art at the time was used. _Still Life with Chair Caning_ constitutes the invention of collage.”

“Here we see something incredibly interesting happen in the world of art. Picasso and his contemporaries, such as Georges Braque, used their works to put into question the elitism of the art world at the time. There had always been a seeming dichotomy between the ordinary and the rarefied, between the commonplace and ‘fine art’. Now, the lines were being blurred. And they will continue to blur for the rest of the 20th century.”

“For the rest of the period, I want you to move through the stations and check the little notes I’ve attached to each picture. There’s a question on each one, and I want you to consider these questions as you observe the picture of the work of art placed on each easel. These questions and your answers will prove useful for the essay you’re submitting next Monday. I hope you’ve been working on them.”

A collective groan emerges from the class. Chimon himself winces a little. The paper had been given a month in advance, but essays like these were tough to work on. He had some ideas already, but he had been busy with custodian duties for the most part. At the same time, the whole issue of the lost box had also eaten up a bit of his time.

“Make sure to incorporate our lessons and readings in the current module when you’re making your essays, but also consider the specific point of view from which you are coming from. I want you to think of implications of the question the elitism of art in the modern world, especially from the profession you plan to be a part of moving forward.”

The class begins to disperse in the classroom, students moving towards random easels as instructed. Chimon, instead, walks toward Tay in the front of the classroom.

“Hey, Doc Tay. I just wanted to run some questions with you regarding the essay. I’m actually a bit lost about what to write.”

“That’s surprising coming from you, Chimon. You’ve always been ahead of your classmates when it comes to these outputs.”

“Well, I’ve been planning on writing about the concept of assemblages. My dad had really taken a liking to creating pieces like these, and I wanted to deal with this topic. Random found objects pieced together suddenly become art in the hands of the right visionary. But, I’ve been having trouble justifying this myself. In recent years, modern artists have been criticized for making trash. Back in 2015, a janitor at the Museion in Italy accidentally threw out an art installation made of champagne bottles, confetti and cigarette butts because it was mistaken for trash. In that sense, hasn’t the artist failed to bring the ordinary into the rarefied, because they weren’t able to convey their message?”

“Oh, that debacle.”—Tay laughs slightly—”Well, if you look at it from another angle, one could argue that the work itself was pretty convincing, having been able to showcase that the seeming glitz and glamor of consumerism and hedonism associated with champagne-laden parties of high society were nothing more than trash.”

“Oh, that’s an interesting point of view.”

“You’ve always made it clear that you wanted to be a curator of a museum in the future, right, Chimon? Well, part of the work of curation is presenting new perspectives for your prospective museumgoers. Making the old new, making the ordinary extraordinary. Of course, that’s easier said than done.”

Tay gives Chimon a pat on the shoulder, before moving toward the crowd that has now gathered in front of the easel holding a picture of Bill Woodrow’s _Armchair, Washing Machine and Kurumba Mask_.

⨓

“I’m still angry at you. Don’t go giving away my number to just random people.” Chimon nagged at Ohm from behind the Found Property helpdesk’s counter.

“But this wasn’t a random person. It was the box guy. Since the story checked out, there was no harm giving your contact info.” Ohm replied.

“Ugh. I didn’t want to have to deal with him again so soon. And now I have a huge problem. The wooden box that we’re looking for… I took it home.”

“This is why you don’t take from the lost items.” Ohm remarks as he reached across the counter to give a gentle smack at Chimon’s head. “Anyway, just give it back, problem solved.”

“I can’t. Pa' just showed us his latest art piece. And guess what he placed right smack in the center of it.” Chimon shows Ohm the picture of _Getaway Car_ on his phone. “I can’t believe this is my life.”

“Oh this is priceless”—Ohm chuckles as he takes a photo of Chimon with his phone—“You should see the look on your face right now. Can you believe it? I guess taking home the lost and found has finally bitten you back in the ass.

“Can you not right now? This is really a problem for me. I really feel guilty about taking that box. Apparently, the box was one of the last gifts Nanon received from his dad before his dad died.”

“Wow, that’s tough.”

“I know how much his dad means to him. So I kinda really want to help him.”

“Can’t you just take it back from your dad?”

“I’m not sure. This has never happened before. I can ask, but it’s literally bonded to the center of the piece. Worst part is how quickly he got the museum to start setting up the exhibits. The day after he finished the piece, he got every single part of the exhibit transferred to Regis. The opening day of the exhibit is next week. There will be a public viewing in the afternoon, and then the pieces will be auctioned off that same night.”

“Yikes. I guess it’s a lost cause right?”

“Maybe. I’m not sure. I’ll have to talk to Nanon about this.”

“So, Nanon, right? The wooden box guy? What’s with you two?”

“Well, we used to be friends back when we were younger. Then we lost contact with each other, until this whole incident brought us back together.”

“Wait, is he the best friend you were talking about last time?”

Chimon waves his hands in dismissal as he replied, “Anyway, that’s not important. I need to think of a way to get that box back.”

“You said the piece was being auctioned off at Regis Museum next week?” Ohm asks, one hand on his chin in a scheming manner. “I may have a proposition that might solve your problems.”

“What are you trying to say Ohm?”

“Well, as you know, I am rich and…”

“Humility is a virtue.” Chimon sharply adds.

“Snarky, snarky,” Ohm replies. “What if I just bid on the piece and buy it?”

“What?!”

“I mean. I do enjoy a good old-fashioned competition. And I’m not a neophyte when it comes to auctions. I’ve been part of those fun human auction projects when I was in high school. And trust me when I say, I always end up with the highest bidder, if you know what I mean.”

“This is why you have bad luck in dating.”

“And just in case this all goes south, I can even resell the piece just in case people at home don’t like it. In fact, I can even hire someone to do restoration work on it once you pry the box away from the piece. It’ll be good as new.”

“Wait. I’m sure there’s a catch. You’re not that nice of a person. I should know. We’ve been friends for a while now.”

“Take my Friday shifts forever and we’ll call it even.”

“Fine. But only after I get that box back to Nanon in one piece.”

“This is going to be so exciting.”—Ohm beamed.

⨓

**April 2005.**

“This sculpture is weird. It’s just a bunch of random things glued together.” The little fourth grader says as he climbs into Off’s lap.

“Wow, aren’t you the little art critic?”

“It’s just that you can do a lot better than this. I’ve seen you paint, pa’. You’re amazing.”

“Well, don’t you think this is pretty cool? You haven’t seen anything like this before right.”

Chimon shakes his head.

Off reaches for the book on the coffee table, he had been using for research.

“So take a look at these pictures that I’m using as reference. This one is a piece by the great Salvador Dali.”

“It’s a lobster on top of a telephone.”

“Well, it’s just a regular telephone, but the lobster is actually a plaster model that was painstakingly crafted to fit the piece. Together, they form a wonderful example of modern art. Things that appear regular and mundane acquire new life.”

“What about this, pa’?”

“This one is by Marcel Duchamp. It’s called _Fountain_ , but it’s literally just an upturned urinal. Many people can’t seem to think of it as art, but I personally believe it is.”

“Or it’s just a urinal, Pa.”

“Or it’s just a urinal. You’re also right, Chi.”

“So, what’s the point? If I take our home phone and place a piece of fish on it, am I already an artist? I don’t think I’d want to display something like that when I run my own museum.”

“Well, as curator, you’ll have the tough role of choosing what to exhibit. And recognizing art is one of your main tasks. Just like how artists discover found objects and recognize their potential for art, the curator discovers pieces and recognizes their potential, and by choosing to exhibit them in the museum, the curator hopes people can recognize that potential too.”

“I have to do all of that?”

“Yup. But you’re pretty bright, kiddo. You’re just like your dad.”

“I’m like dad! I’m also like pa!”

“And that’s why you’re our son!” Off says as he ruffles Chimon’s hair.

The front door opens, and Gun enters the living room with a couple of bags of take out.

“Hey, you two. I bought Jollibee on my way from Regis. Hope you like Chickenjoy.”

“Chickenjoy is my favorite. It’s because it has Chi in the name, and I’m Chi!”

⨓

**September 2017.**

"Everything in the world has a place set apart—a place meant for them. It’s the same with art. Even things that seem like trash can be made beautiful again in the hands of a skilled artist. They may have lost their originally intended role, but art frees them of that captivity that humans have imposed on them. A lobster can be a telephone and a urinal can be a fountain. From Dali to Duchamp, we’ve seen ways in which found objects have been reborn as art. What was lost is regained in new and vibrant ways, that challenge our commonly accepted sensibilities about the things we see in the world.”

Chimon stops typing, and saves the file with a click of a button, before heaving a sigh of relief. Wow, those childhood lessons from pa’ really did pay off.

Chimon leans back on his chair, thinking hard about what to do with this whole box fiasco. He’s considering his options. “Fuck it, I guess I have no choice.”

He takes his phone in his hand and hovers his fingers over the unknown number that texted him a few days ago—"I wonder if he's still awake this late."

He calls the number. It's picked up almost immediately.

“Hello? Chimon? What’s up?”

“So, I have a plan.”


	6. Chapter 5: All Too Well

**April 2012.**

“Don't be too loud. You’re going to wake up the parentals!” Chimon said as he shushed Nanon. “Why did you even visit this late into the night. It’s a good thing I was looking out the window and could stop you before you rang the doorbell and all hell would break lose.”

“I just wanted to drop by. It’s summer, and I kinda wanted to spend some time with you.”

There’s a look of suspicion on Chimon’s face—“And this has nothing to do with the repair of your rooms’ air-conditioning unit?”

“It was like an inferno!” Nanon exclaimed, clinging on to Chimon.

“I knew it.” Chimon responds in a nonchalant fashion.

“I can stay over in your room. We’ll be cozy and cool.”

“Fine. But keep it on the down low.”

⨓

They’re seated on the kitchen counter, just the two of them. Chimon is browsing tumblr on his laptop, while Nanon is chomping on an apple he got from the refrigerator.

“Hey, you wanna listen to some tunes? I brought my iPod.”

“Sure. What do you have on there?”

“I made a summer playlist.”

Nanon lays down his half-eaten apple near the sink, brings out his iPod from his pocket, and offers one of his earphones to Chimon. “Let’s share.”

Chimon takes the earphone, and they now each have one. One is on Chimon’s left ear, and the other is in Nanon’s right ear.

“ _Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer. Do you know you're unlike any other? You’ll always be my thunder._ ”

Chimon continues to browse tumblr as they quietly listen to music, the screen light from the laptop keeping them from total darkness.

Nanon stands up from the counter, then proceeds to fold Chimon’s laptop to close it. He places it on the kitchen island, despite some protesting on Chimon’s part. “I was using that!”

“You can browse the internet when I’m not over. Let’s maximize best friend time, eh?” Nanon explains, eyes closed as he takes the music in. When he opens his eyes, he pulls Chimon down from the counter as well.

“Hey, not so rough!”

“Let me just put back this apple in the refrigerator.”

“Eww. Make sure to put it in a bag, please,” Chimon implores as he pulls open one of the drawers below the kitchen counter, and passes a ziplock to Nanon, who places the apple in it.

They go toward the refrigerator together, still attached by the earphones. Nanon opens the refrigerator door, and a wave of cool air hits them both.

“Oh, that feels great.”

“The refrigerator isn’t your personal air-conditioning, Non.”

Nanon continues to bask in the cool of the refrigerator. The playlist moves to the next track.

“Oh, I love this next song. _Body Party_! It’s a recent release and I’ve been binge listening to it.”

_My body is your party, baby  
Nobody's invited but you, baby_

Nanon starts moving to the rhythm of the song, bouncing up and down to the beat. He then moves closer to Chimon, who had just whipped his phone out of his pocket to check the time.

“Dance with me, Chi?”

Nanon brings his hands to Chimon’s waist, as if about to slow dance, and pulls away Chi’s phone, and places it in his own pocket.

_I can do it slow now, tell me what you want  
Baby, put your phone down, you should turn it off_

“What the heck are you doing?!” Chimon fussed about.

“If you don’t want the earphone to come off, then you have to stay close to me!” Nanon explained with a smile, bouncing slightly to the beat of the song they were listening to.

_'Cause tonight is going down, tell your boys is going down  
We in the zone now, don't stop_

“What?” Chimon didn’t exactly get what Nanon was trying to say, but he gets quickly swept off his feet and Nanon brings him close enough that their faces are almost touching.

“Follow my lead.”

Nanon whisks Chimon away as they dance in the kitchen, the only thing illuminating them is the open refrigerator door. He moves Chimon’s arms into position on his shoulders. “Come on. We’re due for some ‘best-friend-slow-dance.’”

_I can't lie, I won't lie, it's amazing  
My faces, the places, you're taking me_

Nanon’s face is half-lit by the fridge’s light. Chimon can’t help but stare at those eyes. Nanon takes the lead in their little dance, and they move through the kitchen.

“Why are you strangely clingy tonight?” Chimon asks, one eyebrow raised.

“I’m always clingy.”

“Good point.”

_Baby, take your time now,  
there's no need to rush_

Chimon is feeling confused in all kinds of ways, as is the case most of the time when it comes to him and his best friend. Stupid Nanon’s probably oblivious as he always is.

“Hey, Non. Can I tell you something—"

Suddenly, the refrigerator makes a loud continuous beeping sound.

“Oh shit, we left the ref open for too long.” Chimon says in a sudden bit of panic.

Chimon grabs Nanon by his hands and brings both of them back to the area near the refrigerator to close the door.

“Phew. That was close. We would have woken up everyone.” Nanon says in relief.

“Ehem.”

Their kitchen antics are interrupted by the disgruntled sound of Gun by the kitchen entrance in his PJ’s. He doesn’t look pleased. “I thought we had a break-in or something considering how noisy it was downstairs. But apparently it’s just you two in the kitchen. 

Also, when did Nanon get here?”

“Dad! How long have you been there?” Chimon quickly moves away from Nanon, removing the earphone in his ear and pushing it unto Nanon’s chest.

“Long enough.”

Chimon bowed his head, blushing slightly at the realization that his dad saw the two of them dancing. He explained, “Nanon wanted to stay the night.”

“You should have told me yesterday, I would have brought out the extra mattress”

“It’s cool, Tito. I usually sleep on Chi’s bed anyway.” Nanon proudly explains, for some reason.

“Well, a mattress will be more comfortable. I’ll set it up anyway just in case. Finish up whatever it was you two were doing here.” Gun says, as he waves his index finger between Chimon and Nanon.

“We weren’t doing anything, dad!” Chimon protested.

Gun just replied with a knowing smile before going up the stairs.

“You’re going to be grounded for this, right?”

“Probably.”

⨓

**September 2017.**

“So what's the plan?” Nanon asked from in front of the gate at Chimon’s house. It’s late in the afternoon, and Nanon headed straight to Chimon’s after his last class. He had initially wanted to drop by the moment Chimon called him, but Chimon warned that they weren’t teenagers anymore, and that barging in the middle of the night, waking both his dads would probably get them a worse punishment than just being grounded.

“Actually, it’s Ohm’s plan,” Chimon explains as he opens the gate. “Let’s talk about it in my room.”

“Who’s Ohm again?”

“He’s the guy who gave you my number.”

“Oh. He seems nice.”

“He’s been my friend since freshman year,” Chimon narrated as they entered the front door. “We got to know each other because we both joined the student council and volunteered to the Found Property Custodians. At first, we saw it as a stepping stone for better opportunities in the student council, but we eventually got used to the work and enjoyed each other’s company. We’ve been working the helpdesk since then.”

Once they’ve entered the living room, they see Gun sitting on the sofa, stacks of papers on the coffee table. It seems like he’s on a grading spree today.

“Oh, Nanon’s here,” Gun commented without even lifting his head from where he’s checking papers.

“Good afternoon po, Tito.”

“We’ll just head over upstairs for a bit, dad,” Chimon explained.

As the two move toward the stairs, Gun puts down the paper he’s currently checking.

“Nanon, why don’t you stay for dinner since you’re already here? I’ve got a roast set up in the oven as we speak, and I’m sure Papii and Chi won’t be able to finish all that on their own anyway.”

Chimon looks at his dad with a confused expression. “We just have something quick to talk about. Nanon probably has other things to do and—”

“I’d be happy to join you for dinner.” Nanon interrupts, turning to Chi with a smug smile on his face.

Nanon raises an eyebrow, almost as if in protest.

“It’s settled then.” Gun replies, before returning his attention to the papers in front of him.

⨓

“Why are you staying for dinner?” Chimon asks as he sits on the edge of his bed.

“But your dad invited me. It would be rude not to.”

“You don’t have to do this. I can just explain to dad that you have somewhere you’re expected to be.”

“I have nothing better to do tonight anyway. My schedule is pretty free. Plus, I can ask a couple things about class while I’m at it.”

“It’s still a bit unnerving to think that he’s your teacher. Ohm was also his student.”

“I guess it’s a rite of passage for your friends to be taught by your dad. It’s like he’s making sure your in good hands.” Nanon said, chuckling a bit.

“Who said we’re friends?” Chimon says as he looks vacantly at Nanon.

“Oh, my bad”—Nanon simply shrugs it off—“anyway, what was this plan of yours?”

“Again, it’s Ohm’s plan, not mine. I’m just sort of going along with it, because he seemed rather excited to do it, and I feel like I’m running out of options solving this box problem of ours.”

“So, what was Ohm’s plan?”

“We’re going to bid on _Getaway Car_.”

“What are you talking about? Bid at the charity auction?” Nanon asks, rather confused. “We can’t bid on an artwork by your dad. We won’t have the money.”

“Well, Ohm seems like he has nothing better to do with his. He did explain that he’d wanted the piece even without the box attached to it. And that he’s thinking that since most of it is for charity anyway, that it’s his good deed for the month.”

“Rich kids, eh?”

“Well, he’s _our_ rich kid, so there’s that.”

“So, if we succeed in bidding on the piece, then we get the box, and then Ohm gets to keep the rest?”

“That’s basically it.” Chimon says as he lays down on his bed from his seated position, feet still planted on his bedroom floor.

Nanon thinks for a bit, a hand on his chin as he ponders, before giving a definitive reply.

“Okay, let’s do it.”


	7. Chapter 6: The Archer

**September 2017.**

“So, Chi, give us the deets. When? Where? How?” Ohm asks from the Skype call he’s on with Chimon and Nanon, who are seated on the floor of Chimon’s room. The two boys made sure to contact Ohm as soon as they both agreed to push through with the plan. 

“I checked pa’s email,” Chimon explained rather casually.

“You have access to your pa’s email?” Nanon asks as he turns to Chimon.

“Well, I made the email for him, so I kinda know the password, which he never changed anyway.”

“So, was there anything in his emails?” Ohm continued his line of questioning.

“Regis Museum sent him the details for the charity auction. They’re doing it this upcoming Friday. The setup is a classic English auction, so Ohm, you just need to keep on bidding a higher price until we win _Getaway Car_.”

“Oh damn, there goes another Friday night. You better make this worth my while, Chi,” Ohm voices some faux frustration.

“Yeah, yeah. We already had a deal with helpdesk shifts, so stop complaining,” Chimon retorts.

“What do you think the price on the piece will be?” Nanon asks.

“I’m still unsure how high the price will be driven for a piece like this,” Chimon responds, a bit of uncertainty in his voice. “It’s rather small compared to most of my dad’s usual sculptures and assemblages, so I’m hoping that will keep the price low. But, I’ve seen my dad’s pieces go for hundreds of thousands.”

“Don’t get me bankrupt, Chi.” Ohm warns.

“We’ll set a comfortable ceiling for when we’ll stop bidding,” Chimon explains. “I’d want to be there in the actual event as it happens, so we can track the progress of the auction, as well as give signals for what to do on the occasion that our plan doesn’t go as expected.”

“And how do we get into the event?” Nanon asks.

“I can get us tickets to the event. Maybe I can bring it up to dad later in dinner. But they’re probably just complimentary seats. Based from the email, there are tickets for the balcony as well as the bidding area near the main stage. We’ll still need to get Ohm on the actual list for the bidders near the main stage,” Chimon turns his attention to his laptop screen and talks to Ohm, “I’ll need you to secure a ticket yourself. It’s probably the easiest way to get you into that area. Can you do that while we’re having dinner with my parents later?”

“Sure. Just give me the contact information and I’ll buy the ticket myself.” Ohm responds.

“I saved the number of the contact person for the auction on my phone. Let me just get it.”

Chimon goes toward his bag that’s lying next to his bed and rummages to find where he’s left his phone. As he’s doing this, the smell of the roast his dad promised them is wafting through the entire house, so Chimon is currently wishing they can end this planning session as fast as possible so they can head for dinner. And so that he doesn’t have to interact more than necessary with Nanon.

“I heard from Chi that you two were best friends when you guys were younger,” Ohm says to Nanon. “But, he’s been pretty mum about it.”

Chi rolls his eyes while continuing to rummage through his bag. Sometimes, Ohm doesn’t know when to quit.

Nanon replies shyly, “Yeah. It’s actually quite a long story. But we basically grew up together in this village very near Regis University. Tito Gun had been teaching at Regis since forever, and they moved here when he had just started. Both Chimon and I were still in our diapers back then.”

“Oh, I kinda wanna see what that looks like.”

“I actually have a picture of it in my phone. I got it from my mom.” Nanon says proudly.

Before Nanon could even bring out his phone, Chimon rushes to where he’s seated and waves goodbye to Ohm all of a sudden. “Oh, I think I’m hearing my dad call us for dinner. Gotta’ go Ohm. We’ll talk more later. I’m texting you the contact information of the museum right this minute.”

“Wait, what about the baby pics?!” protested Ohm.

“Nice meeting you again, dude. Talk to you after dinner”—Nanon then proceeds to mouth something to Ohm—“I’ll show the pics later when Chimon isn’t looking.”

“I think you and I are going to be real good friends, Nanon.” Ohm says with a mischievous grin, before Chimon swiftly closes the laptop.

⨓

“Nanon, I’m so glad you’re joining us for dinner!” Off mentions as he approaches the boy who’s already seated at the dining room table, and gives him a gentle pat on the shoulder.

“So, pa. Tell us more about your exhibit.”

“Oh, the planning and installation are going well. I visited the museum with your dad yesterday. Opening night is on Friday, and the charity auction will happen the night of.” Off responds, taking a seat at the head of the table.

“Are you bringing dad and me?” Chimon asks as he extends his arms to get the bowl of rice near Off.

“Well, I do have my usual complimentary tickets for the event. They’re just balcony seats though, and they’re forcing me to sit up front.”

“I can join for the exhibit opening, but I’ll be rushing off after to the conference planning session that night.” Gun explains while passing the peas and carrots to Nanon. “Oh, make sure to eat your veggies.”

“Yes, po, Tito.”

“I won’t force you to join if you’re going to be by your lonesome.” Off says.

“Oh, I can bring Nanon,” Chimon explains, pointing to the boy next to him. “That way I won’t be alone.”

“I don’t mind. I’d love to see a real-life auction.” Nanon affirms while taking a big spoonful of veggies.

Off turns to Gun, who raises his eyebrows. Chimon sees this look on his dad’s face, and he knows that his parents are communicating without talking again, which over the course of his lifetime, has ranged from confusing to infuriating.

Off then turns to the two boys and points his hands at the two—“Oh, look at the two of you. It’s like nothing has changed. See, Chi. All that crying for weeks on end didn’t really matter. You have your best friend back!”

Chimon choked on the water he was currently drinking.

⨓

“Tito Gun, I’ll help with the dishes,” Nanon says entering the kitchen with some of the plates from dinner. Gun, standing by the sink, had already begun washing some of the pots and pans.

“Thanks, Nanon,” Gun says, smiling at the young man. “I’m glad that you and Chimon are getting along again.”

“I’m not sure about that. I’m guessing ‘tolerate’ is the better description for it.”

“Well, you know how Chi has always been. He’s had issues trusting people and getting close to people. I guess the wounds haven’t healed yet from everything that’s happened.”

Nanon wipes the plates and utensils with a paper towel and starts piling them on the kitchen counter right next to the sink. Gun methodically goes through them one at a time for washing. They remain quiet as they go through the cutlery methodically, and this goes on for a little while, before Nanon breaks the silence.

“I really regret leaving without saying goodbye. I wasn’t able to explain myself to him and to everyone. But I also thought I maybe couldn’t explain myself anyway if I had a chance. So, I figured it would have been easier for him to accept how things would be if I just cut ties completely. Besides, Chimon would have surely made new friends eventually. I mean look at Ohm. They’re pretty close. Forgetting me would have been the best solution given the circumstances.”

Gun stops what he was doing, leans into the sink, and looks at Nanon intently.

“Was that really what was best for Chi? For you? Who gets to decide what’s best? And what standards do we use to say that it’s the right thing?”

“I’m not exactly sure myself, Tito,” Nanon responds with a reluctant—almost guilty—tone. “I wasn’t in the right head space when my dad died. And I felt like a burden to everyone around me, to my mom and Nonnie, and especially to Chi. I wanted to escape. But also wanted to make sure that in the long run, all of them, all of you, would be okay. I kinda thought I was doing the right thing.”

Gun sighs—“You remember our assignment in class the other day? From the Greeks to the modern period, people have mulled over the question of the ‘good’. What’s good for one could have been considered unbearable for another, especially if you have different categories for goodness. It’s tough when people assume that you’re using the same categories. It only ends up in a lot of miscommunication and misinterpretation.”

“Yeah, that’s true, Tito.”

Gun placed the dishes they’ve finished washing unto the drying rack, then turned to Nanon and smiled—“Define your terms, and maybe you’ll get the answer you’re looking for. All you have to do is shoot your shot.”

⨓

“Can we talk?”

“We can talk about the rest of the plan a bit later. Let me just rest a bit. I think I ate too much dessert.”

“I’m not talking about the plan. “

“Where is this coming from?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Huh?”

“I’m sorry I hurt you. When I left for Madrid. When I cut you off from my life. I thought I was doing the right thing. But I wasn’t. I didn’t consider that maybe it wasn’t the right thing for you.”  
Chimon turned to Nanon, mouth agape, as if wanting to say something. However, he decides to stay silent, and let’s Nanon continue.

“The other day, you asked if I found myself in Madrid.” Nanon expounded, “I think I did find bits and pieces of what I felt I lost when my dad died. It’s not all there yet, but I think one of the reasons I came back is because I realized that what remains lost won’t be found there.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” Chimon asks.

“I just want to be friends again.”

Chimon weighed his options. There was a heaviness in his heart. There was still a lot of lingering hurt from all those years ago. And he thought he was steadfast with his decision to have nothing to do with Nanon anymore.  
But he looks at the boy in front of him—open and vulnerable, and just a tinge of hope in those eyes—and he’s back to being sixteen again. 

Chimon breathes out a heavy sigh.

“Let’s call it a truce for now. Friendship pending. Are you okay with that?”

Nanon beams—“I’ll take it.”


End file.
